Yesterday (November 4), UPS Flight 2976 crashed shortly after taking off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport at around 17:15 (EST).
The aircraft, which had three crew members onboard, was headed to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Hawaii, when it crash-landed only 3 miles south of the airfield.
According to Kentucky state governor Andy Beshear, the crash occurred near two businesses, including a recycling center, which was directly hit, and an auto parts store, where all but two employees have been accounted for (via The Guardian).
So far, authorities have confirmed that at least seven people were killed in the incident, while 11 were injured, with airport officials confirming that they had been taken to hospital for treatment.
However, the death toll is expected to rise as officials say victims have suffered ‘very significant’ injuries.
A preliminary investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of the crash.
In a post on X, Beshear said that ‘first responders are onsite and working hard to extinguish the fire and continue the investigation’.
“Air monitoring assets have been deployed, and we are working to keep the public informed and keep folks in the area safe. We will share more information as it’s available.” he continued.
Meanwhile, UPS also wrote on social media that they were ‘terribly saddened by the accident tonight in Louisville’ and their ‘heartfelt thoughts are with everyone involved’.
They added that they were working with the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) investigation into the situation and are ‘staying in close contact with the Federal Aviation Administration’.
Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport also said in a statement on their website that all departing flights on Tuesday had been canceled in the wake of the crash, adding they ‘have been in contact with the NTSB, who will be on-site tomorrow (November 5).
Video footage from people’s dash cams have also captured the moment that the plane erupted in flames as it crash landed.
Other video footage has shown the emergency services descend on the scene and take steps to put out the fire that erupted after the crash.
According to the BBC, the aircraft was carrying around 38,000 gallons of fuel when it crashed, and while it hasn’t been confirmed what cargo the plane was carrying at the time, officials have said it wasn’t carrying anything of risk.
The inferno is now considered to be mostly contained, though Beshear and the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) have warned civilians to stay away from the crash site, and investigation crew is expected to arrive in the morning to learn as much as possible about the crash.
In a night service alert, UPS said that delivery schedules for airborne and international packages ‘may be affected’ as a result of the crash.
It added: “Contingency plans are in place to help ensure that shipments arrive at their final destinations as quickly as conditions permit.”
